1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices suitable for use in firmly fixing one member to another member in an adjustable position and particularly, but not exclusively, to devices for fixing decorative or finishing furniture panels to basic furniture components such as for example fixing styled drawer fronts to basic drawer boxes as is usually required in finishing modern kitchen, bedroom and other furniture so as to enable precise alignment of the various styled panels relative to each other despite slight tolerances in the alignment of the basic units.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices of this general kind are known, which are in the form of a plug fitted into a socket in the rear of the styled panel. The styled panel is then positioned in front of, for example, a drawer box to which it is to be fitted, a screw is inserted through a bore from the inside of the drawer box and into the rear of the plug and partially tightened into the fixing device. In this partially tightened condition, the styled panel can be moved into its properly aligned position and pre-located there. Once two more such devices have been partially tightened in this way and the alignment completed, the screws of all of them are tightened to complete the fixing of the styled panel in its proper position.
A type of fixing device used in this way consists of a substantially hollow outer plastics plug which is manufactured in an open condition. A metal nut having laterally extending wings is then located within the plug, which is then closed around the nut to complete the fixing device. When the device is being used, the metal nut is movable relative to and within the plug and this is what allows adjustment of the position of the styled panel after the screw has been partly tightened into the metal nut but before tightening has been completed. The process of manufacturing and then assembling the parts for a device of this type is, however, relatively time-consuming and expensive.
An object of the invention is to provide an improved and less costly type of fixing device of the general kind discussed above.
The invention provides a device suitable for use in firmly fixing one member to another member in an adjustable position, comprising a retaining part fixable to said one member and a retained part in use retained by, yet movable relative to, said retaining part, the retained part being adapted to be secured to the other member and to become substantially immovable relative to the retaining part when said securement is tightened, characterized in that the retained and retaining parts are formed as one piece but are breakable apart to permit said relative movement.
Preferably, as in the preferred embodiment described below, the device is arranged such that the process of fixing the retaining part to said one member causes said parts to break apart. In particular, the retaining part may be in the form of a plug to fit into a matching blind socket in said one member and the retained part may be accessible at the leading end of the plug, preferably protruding therefrom, so that as the plug enters the socket the retained part is the first to be pressed against the bottom of the socket and is thus pressed into and broken away from the retaining part so as to automatically achieve the relatively movable condition needed when the fixing device is thereafter being used in the formation of an aligned and tightened fixture.
By forming the retained and retaining parts as a single piece, which can be done in a one-shot molding operation in plastics material, the cost of manufacturing the device is reduced since only one component has to be made and no assembly steps are required.